A SENIOR police officer revealed on Twitter that a teenager with mental health issues was being held in a police cell for almost two days because no NHS bed were available.

A girl with mental health issues was kept in a police cell for almost two days

Yesterday morning Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton, from Devon and Cornwall Police, tweeted: "We have a 16yr old girl suffering from mental health issues held in police custody. There are no beds available in the UK! #unacceptable"

In a series of tweeted he continued: "The 16yr old was detained on Thursday night, sectioned Friday lunchtime and still no place of safety available. This can't be right!

"Custody on a Fri & Sat night is no place for a child suffering mental health issues. Nurses being sourced to look after her in custody !?!"

Yesterday evening he tweeted: "Just heard that a place of care has been found for our 16yr old. Good result."

NHS England confirmed that an NHS place had been found for the girl.

ACC Netherton told Sky News : "I was very concerned because we shouldn't be put in a position where we have a 16-year-old schoolgirl kept in custody now for three days because there is no place where we can house her safely.

"A police station and a custody block on a Friday and Saturday night is simply not a place where a young child should be placed.

"We wouldn't put a criminal in custody for that long and we certainly don't want to put someone who is suffering from mental health issues in a custody block for that length of time."

We have a 16yr old girl suffering from mental health issues held in police custody. There are no beds available in the uk! #unacceptable

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of mental health charity Mind, said that the situation was "shameful".

He said: "This is a terrible and shameful situation.

"Being in mental health crisis can be terrifying and life-threatening, and people need urgent care from mental health services.

"A police cell is a completely inappropriate place to put someone who is so unwell and everyone agrees that children with mental health problems should never be put in a police cell.

"This whole episode shows how thinly spread NHS mental health services are. Historical under-funding for mental health services compounded by cuts over three consecutive years have left services in disarray at and we desperately need to see investment. T

"The Autumn statement this week is an opportunity for the Government to start to put this right and ensure mental health services have sufficient resources to get people the help they need, when they need it."

In 2012-2013 there were 263 incidents involving a child being sectioned under the Mental Health Act beign held in a police cell.